By LEIGH HORNBECK Staff writer

Published 12:00 am, Friday, November 19, 2010

LAKE GEORGE -- At least this much is clear: There is a village of Lake George and there is a town of Lake George, and it's going to stay that way.

After more than two years of study, the village Board of Trustees voted against going forward with plans to merge the village with the town of Lake George. The next step would have been to put dissolution on the ballot for voters to consider.

Longtime village Mayor Robert Blais has became an expert on the process since applying for a grant from the state Department of State in 2008 to pay for a study. He spoke to groups from several villages in the area about what he learned.

"Every community is unique," Blais said. "Some communities are struggling to pay for their infrastructure. Other villages don't have the sources of income that we do. We only raise one-third of our budget from the tax base. We make $550,000 a year from parking meters alone."

The idea behind the state's local government efficiency program is to reduce costs. The study of the town and village of Lake George showed that a merger of the two wouldn't necessarily save money for every taxpayer. Under consolidation, some residents would have faced higher tax bills, depending on where they live. The town and village already share water and fire protection services.

"I don't think the study was a waste of time. We enlightened taxpayers to some extent about the differences between the town and the village," Blais said.

Even though the village board voted not to go forward, village residents could still bring the concept to a vote if they gather enough signatures. Under state law, which was changed in March, it only takes 10 percent of enrolled voters to bring a consolidation proposal to a public vote.

In the meantime, Blais is considering whether or not to run for another term in office. He sold his arcade business over the summer.

"If dissolution were to happen, I would want to be here to help with the transition. If not, I might go another way," Blais said.

While residents of Lake George were considering dissolution this summer, residents on the east side of the lake were working toward forming a new village, East Lake George. A referendum to create the village failed in August.

Elsewhere, other communities are in different stages of dissolution studies. A committee in the village of Corinth set aside dissolution in September. Committees in Victory and Schuylerville are still working on studies and holding public hearings on merging with the town of Saratoga.

The state has given out $1.7 million in grants to 30 communities since starting the program in 2005. Only one village -- Pike, in Wyoming County -- is gone from the map. Seneca Falls in Seneca County, and Perrysburg, Randolph and East Randolph, all in Cattaraugus County, will follow at the end of 2011. Limestone, also in Cattaraugus County, will cease to exist at the end of December.

Leigh Hornbeck can be reached at 454-5352 or by e-mail at lhornbeck@timesunion.com.